Media Bus Interface Arbitration for a Data Server

1. A data server for use in networks where media are transmitted in packet form, where such media are chosen from the group consisting of packetized audio data, packetized video data, packetized control data, packetized information data, and combinations thereof, said data server comprising: at least a first card shelf containing cards installed thereon including a card having a bus controller function and a plurality of media processor cards, and a backplane; wherein said backplane includes a media bus group having a plurality of media buses therein; wherein said plurality of media buses are adapted to carry media data in packet form among said cards installed on said shelf under flow control; and wherein each media processor card on said shelf is assigned a specific address identity; there being at least one bidirectional port on each media processor card, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card has a unique identity on the respective media processor card; wherein, when any bidirectional port on any media processor card wishes to send a packet of media data to another bidirectional port on any media processor card, said bidirectional port issues a request to transmit that packet of data; wherein the request to transmit a packet of media data includes the identity of the intended receiving card, and the identity of the receiving bidirectional port on the intended receiving card; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card outputs flow control information as to whether that bidirectional port can or cannot accept packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that bidirectional port at any instant in time; wherein each media processor card outputs flow control information for each bus in said media bus group as to whether that card can or cannot accept packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that card over each respective bus at any instant in time; wherein said data server further includes a bus arbiter on said first card having said bus controller function, the purpose of said bus arbiter being to review the flow control status of each output position and each bidirectional port thereat, to review the flow control status of each bus in said media bus group, to process requests to transmit packets of data from each bidirectional port on each media processor card, and to grant requests to transmit packets of media data only for those packets of media data that are intended to be transmitted to destination addresses that are not flow controlled, where the grants are given only for transmission over buses that are not flow controlled; wherein all ports and all cards that have received grants to transmit packets of media data will place their specified packets of media data onto the respective granted buses, starting at the same instant in time; wherein each media processor card has a plurality of bidirectional ports thereon, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted, and wherein each of said plurality of bidirectional ports has a unique identity; and wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card has an urgent flag which said bidirectional port may set when necessary, and wherein when any packet of media data to be sent from any bidirectional port on any media card has a high priority, each respective bidirectional port on each respective card will set its urgent flag.

2. The data server of claim 1 , wherein said first card is a shelf controller card having said bus controller function thereon.

3. The data server of claim 1 , wherein each bus has a unique identity.

4. The data server of claim 1 , wherein said requests to transmit packets of media data are processed by said bus arbiter in a manner such that those requests which have a high priority are processed before other requests having a lower priority.

5. The data server of claim 1 , wherein said data server is configured as a media server for use in networks wherein packetized voice data are transmitted through said network.

6. The data server of claim 1 , wherein said data server is configured as a media gateway for use in networks wherein packetized voice data are transmitted through said network.

7. The data server of claim 1 , wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card is associated with at least one receive buffer.

8. The data server of claim 7 , wherein the flow control information for each bidirectional port on each media processor card is by way of a flow control flag for each one of said bidirectional ports on said card.

9. The data server of claim 1 , wherein the flow control information for each bus in said media bus group is by way of a flow control flag for each bus.

10. A data server for use in networks where media are transmitted in packet form, where such media are chosen from the group consisting of packetized audio data, packetized video data, packetized control data, packetized information data, and combinations thereof, said data server comprising: at least a first card shelf containing cards installed thereon including a card having a bus controller function and a plurality of media processor cards, and a backplane; wherein said backplane includes a media bus group having a plurality of media buses therein; wherein said plurality of media buses are adapted to carry media data in packet form among said cards installed on said shelf under flow control; and wherein each media processor card on said shelf is assigned a specific address identity; there being at least one bidirectional port on each media processor card, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card has a unique identity on the respective media processor card; wherein, when any bidirectional port on any media processor card wishes to send a packet of media data to another bidirectional port on any media processor card, said bidirectional port issues a request to transmit that packet of data; wherein the request to transmit a packet of media data includes the identity of the intended receiving card, and the identity of the receiving bidirectional port on the intended receiving card; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card outputs flow control information as to whether that bidirectional port can or cannot accent packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that bidirectional port at any instant in time; wherein each media processor card outputs flow control information for each bus in said media bus group as to whether that card can or cannot accept packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that card over each respective bus at any instant in time; wherein said data server further includes a bus arbiter on said first card having said bus controller function, the purpose of said bus arbiter being to review the flow control status of each output position and each bidirectional port thereat, to review the flow control status of each bus in said media bus group, to process requests to transmit packets of data from each bidirectional port on each media processor card, and to grant requests to transmit packets of media data only for those packets of media data that are intended to be transmitted to destination addresses that are not flow controlled, where the grants are given only for transmission over buses that are not flow controlled; wherein all ports and all cards that have received grants to transmit packets of media data will place their specified packets of media data onto the respective granted buses, starting at the same instant in time; wherein each media processor card has a plurality of bidirectional ports thereon, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted, and wherein each of said plurality of bidirectional ports has a unique identity; wherein said bus arbiter will determine the order in which said requests to transmit packets of media data are to be processed, in keeping with a predetermined algorithm; and wherein requests from media processing cards having more packets of media data to be transmitted at any instant in time are processed prior to requests from media processor cards having fewer packets of media data to be transmitted at that instant in time, in keeping with said predetermined algorithm.

11. The data sever of claim 10 , wherein said requests to transmit packets of media data are processed by said bus arbiter in keeping with said predetermined algorithm, so that requests having a higher priority are processed before requests having a lower priority are processed.

12. The data server of claim 10 , wherein when any requests to transmit packets of media data are not granted, those requests are given a higher priority by said bus arbiter for the next instant in time when said requests to transmit packets of media data are to be processed thereby.

13. A data server for use in networks where media are transmitted in packet form, where such media are chosen from the group consisting of packetized audio data, packetized video data, packetized control data, packetized information data, and combinations thereof, said data server comprising: at least a first card shelf containing cards including a card having a bus controller function and a plurality of media processor cards, and a backplane; wherein said backplane includes a media bus group having a plurality of media buses therein; wherein said plurality of media buses are adapted to carry media data in packet form among said cards installed on said shelf under flow control; and wherein each media processor card on said shelf is assigned a specific address identity; there being at least one bidirectional port on each media processor card, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card has a unique identity on the respective media processor card; wherein, when any bidirectional port on any media processor card wishes to send a packet of media data to another bidirectional port on any media processor card, said bidirectional port issues a request to transmit that packet of data; wherein the request to transmit a packet of media data includes the identity of the intended receiving card, and the identity of the receiving bidirectional port on the intended receiving card; wherein each bidirectional port on each media processor card outputs flow control information as to whether that bidirectional port can or cannot accept packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that bidirectional port at any instant in time; wherein each media processor card outputs flow control information for each bus in said media bus group as to whether that card can or cannot accept packets of media data that are intended to be sent to that card over each respective bus at any instant in time; wherein said data server further includes a bus arbiter on said first card having said bus controller function, the purpose of said bus arbiter being to review the flow control status of each output position and each bidirectional port thereat, to review the flow control status of each bus in said media bus group, to process requests to transmit packets of data from each bidirectional port on each media processor card, and to grant requests to transmit packets of media data only for those packets of media data that are intended to be transmitted to destination addresses that are not flow controlled, where the grants are given only for transmission over buses that are not flow controlled; wherein all ports and all cards that have received grants to transmit packets of media data will place their specified packets of media data onto the respective granted buses, starting at the same instant in time; wherein each media processor card has a plurality of bidirectional ports thereon, from and to which packets of media data may be transmitted, and wherein each of said plurality of bidirectional ports has a unique identity; wherein said bus arbiter will determine the order in which said requests to transmit packets of media data are to be processed, in keeping with a predetermined algorithm; and wherein said bus arbiter balances the priority of bidirectional ports and media processor cards, in keeping with said predetermined algorithm, in a manner so that no port and no card has an unfair advantage over any other port or any other card, respectively, as to the requests to transmit packets of media data being sent thereby.